Recycling. We all mean to do it. The next time. Later. Tomorrow. There are a lot of excuses for why we don’t: It’s confusing. We don’t know where to put things. We don’t know what’s recyclable. We don’t know which color bin to use.

In particular, it’s hard to get employees motivated to recycle around the office. When everyone is already busy and stressed, sometimes that little bit of extra effort is the first thing to fall by the wayside.

However, there are a few easy ways business owners and office managers can encourage employees to find the motivation they need to take recycling seriously. It’s important to provide education, motivation, simplification, conservation, and even some friendly competition in order to kick-start a program for becoming more environmentally friendly.

1) Education
The first step is to show employees why it’s important to recycle. Put together some facts about how much waste is generated by your office every day, every month, and every year. Put these factsheets right by your waste disposal facilities to make sure that employees will notice them whenever they go to throw something out. You could also add information about how waste affects the environment, so that your workers will be reminded about the potential impact of their choices.

2) Motivation
This can be related to education. Remind employees of the concrete ways that recycling benefits the earth, how it reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, protects natural resources like trees and minerals, and lowers energy costs. Explain how much money is saved by recycling each year. Put some of that money into rewards for employees, like a party, or even gifts made out of recyclable or re-used materials.

3) Simplification
One of the biggest reasons that individuals are often reluctant to recycle is that they find it confusing. There is the trash can, the bin for paper, the bin for aluminum cans, the bin for “everything else,” then on top of that, there are often different color bins for different types of objects. Sometimes people fear putting the wrong thing in the wrong place, and it just seems simpler to toss an object in the trash.

Make your recycling system as clear and straightforward as possible. It might be worth it to just have one bin for anything that can be recycled and pay extra to have the materials sorted later, if it increases employees’ participation in a recycling program. Make sure the recycling bin or bins are clearly marked and located right beside the trash can. If employees have to go look for them, they are unlikely to put forth the effort. The easier it is to recycle, the more likely it is that people will do it.

4) Conservation
In addition to recycling, make sure to emphasize the importance of conservation. It is not only about putting paper or plastic in the recycling bin rather than the trash, it’s also about reminding employees not to waste paper or plastic or other materials unnecessarily in the first place. Make sure the culture of the office encourages simple steps like printing double-sided instead of one-sided, saving huge amounts of paper.

Similarly, encourage employees to bring mugs or cups to the office, instead of using disposable paper or plastic ones. In the same way that a cultural shift substantially lowered rates of smoking, a company culture that looks down on waste can reduce the amount of trash you have to send to a landfill.

5) Competition
Competition is always an effective way to encourage desired changes in employee behavior. Set goals for waste reduction and measure which departments do the best job of meeting them. Compare rates of trash to recycled materials and reward those groups that do the best job of improving their ratios. Reward creativity.

Most people want to do the right thing – they just need a little help in the form of training and incentive. What makes you want to recycle?

Garret Stembridge is part of the team at Extra Space Storage, a leading provider of self-storage facilities. Garret often writes about sustainable practices for homes and for businesses. Many Extra Space Storage locations, including several in Orlando, have been retrofitted to reduce energy consumption.

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When it comes to naming hugely influential companies and services that impact most people’s lives on a daily basis, two of the most prominent are Google and Facebook. These two online giants boast quite literally billions of users each day, and are the very epitome of information communication. Built around differing ideas, they have one thing in common: they know how to attract and retain the right talent that helps to keep them innovative and ahead of the game.

Some people may think that the very prospect of working for either Google of Facebook would be enough to attract the best talent, but this is not always the case. These sorts of people are as likely to want to create their own start-ups with their own ideas as work for someone else. Recognizing this, both Facebook and Google offer their employees benefits and incentives that go far beyond simply working for one of the world’s most prestigious companies and brands.

A great example of this, are the typical benefits available to a Google employee, and these are most famously found at their Googleplex facility in California. Free breakfasts, lunch and dinners are available on site, as well as free hair-cuts, dry cleaning, gyms and swimming pools, ping pong tables, subsidised massages and much more besides. In these days of austerity, it might seem unusual to offer employees such “perks”, but the reality is that Google is not doing this entirely out of the goodness of its own heart! Employees are likely to stay in the building longer and work longer hours if everything they need is on-site. This not only makes them happier workers, but also gives Google a more dedicated workforce.

It is also a great example of how to create a team atmosphere. By encouraging people to eat and work together, they are just as likely to brainstorm in their away from desk times as they are when they are sitting in front of a keyboard. In fact, the Googleplex is almost a mini community in itself, and whilst most companies might find this a little extreme, there are certainly valuable lessons to be learned from it.

Facebook also uses similar ideas and strategies in order to attract the best talent in the industry, and in fact, there is quite a lot of cross-over of personal between Google and Facebook. If Google were to be considered a “working utopia”, then Facebook in its Menlo Park, California headquarters, might be considered to be its trendier, funkier, slightly anarchic younger brother.

As well as offering the benefits already described for Google, Facebook employees can also be found skateboarding along the corridors of the building, using laptops on running exercise machines, relaxing in chill out lounges and enjoying “happy hour” drinks! Built very much upon a “hacker’s culture” Facebook encourages its employees to be more productive and inventive by creating a relaxing environment.

Whilst they might go about it in slightly different ways, both Google and Facebook are consciously promoting a culture which shapes and reflects their core central beliefs and ethos. This in turn attracts like-minded people to work for them, thus reinforcing these principles. A down side to this, it could be argued, is that it may at the same time also put off people from joining them if they don’t feel comfortable with that sort of working environment. That said, whilst talented individuals may be put off, the ones that do join will all be reading from the same page, so to speak, thus making for a better overall team.

Can these principles be applied to every company and business when it comes to attracting talent? The answer to that is yes, but it goes without saying, that every industry and every business within that industry has its own way of doing things. Stripped down to its basic level, though, both Google and Facebook are offering an environment for their staff where they can feel comfortable and creative, where they feel valued and more than a simple cog in a machine. The monetary cost of the benefits and incentives is more than repaid by the dedication and commitment of their employees, and this has helped them become the world leading companies they are today.

Richard McMunn is the director and founder of How2become.com and the author of this article. Richard spent 17 years in the Fire Service and now provides insider recruitment training for those looking to join the fire service, police service and also the armed forces. You can also connect with How2become on Twitter

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Friday morning dawned – another fabulous sunny day at Red Rock Resort! We were all tired and happy, having enjoyed the Gala Dinner the previous night. Everyone had favorite training moments and lots of stories about what they would take back with them to their respective offices to implement.

We were welcomed by a cheerful upbeat Joan, who then hosted the Wellness Tracking competition to determine the winner. Throughout the entire conference, attendees had been tracking their wellness on the provided wellness tracker. There were blue dots for water, green for fruits and veggies, dots for exercise and dots for stress reduction. The person with the most dots on their trackers at each table stood. Then those finalists came up to the stage. The final dots were counted and a winner was determined with great applause.

Next we watched a Sean Stephenson Dance Party video (which I highly recommend and have re-viewed several times since I returned home!).

Next we watched the videos of Office Dynamics staff reporting in on how their goals had been met through daily huddles focused on the 5 life pillars. Jasmine Freeman shared about being so encouraged to hit her goal targets and the pleasure she got from making plans, setting targets and reaching them.

What kind of habit are you trying to establish? Recognize that after many years, there may be some setbacks but keep tweaking behavior and your habit change time will be much shorter. Take baby steps so you can see progress fairly quickly.

What are the benefits to continuing with your bad habit? Bad habits provide short-term payoffs. The more immediate and tasty the payoff the harder it will be to break the bad habit. (But it can be done!)

How often/automatically do you perform the bad behavior? You have to be aware you are doing something bad in order to replace it with somethingbetter for you.

Joan told us it takes “repeat, repeat, repeat” to really grab hold. Like learning to drive a car, you now drive along easily and once it was so difficult.

Joan walked us through having “Real Behavior Change” (by Shelle Rose Charvet). The key to creating and maintaining real behavior change is in getting and staying motivated.
Be accountable. Remember that behavior and values are important. (Use quotes and affirmations and put them on post-its where you can see them.)Next, we completed our specific objectives, our improvement plans and action process steps, listed tools and resources, and set a 30-day status check. Joan told us to paint in the details and set objectives that describe what it looks like. For each session, we completed the form so that we could have a completed action plan upon return to the office.

Then she shared the 5 Pillar Foundation Competencies:

Belief (that you can make changes, with some effort; belief in yourself)

Our next segment was “Ingredients for the Journey.” In this segment, Joan challenged us to turn off our devices and have the courage to relate to people and just unwind sometimes. She next said we needed staying power: describing how her daughter Lauren trained for a pancreatic cancer marathon by training at night after working all day. She ran the actual marathon which ended on the Strip. It was very tough, but SHE DID IT. She kept going! “You can do it!”

Joan discussed having an inner circle and said that Office Dynamics International cared about our growth and development into whole, better people.

Joan relayed about the Learning Center Rooms where she recently spoke at Nationwide Insurance Learning Center in Columbus, OH. Their training rooms are named:

Vision – (you will only go as high as you set your goal.)

Opportunity – (be strategic. “Luck” is the person who’s been preparing all their life.”)

Growth – (baby steps add up.)

Insight- (be in the moment. Pay attention so you can adapt.)

Exploration- (people develop and discover new skills through training.)

Journey.- (don’t let fear take hold of you. We learn from every bump. Bumps are humbling, they bring us back to earth. “Bumps build our character,” Joan said.)

Joan finished by saying, “Every step in your journey is an opportunity to be BOLD!”

Joan stepped aside and the Office Dynamics International crew brought a huge metal framework up on stage. A woman, Laura Balch, came up on stage with a large canvas. She began to sweep bright colors of paint onto the canvas with bold strokes in brilliant hues. She created long sweeping ribbons of colors across the canvas. Then, as the music played, she turned the canvas and the paint rolled. She turned it again, and began to add large geometric blocks of black paint, almost obliterating the beautiful ribbons on the snowy canvas.

As the music swelled, she turned the canvas, and then we saw clearly, quite suddenly, that what she had made was the conference logo: the word, “BOLD” with ribbons of color behind it.

It was beautiful and a great representation of how people change. It doesn’t always make sense at first because you can’t see it all clearly. You like some bright parts and dislike (perhaps) some portions, yet in the end as you turn and see it all from a wider, broader perspective, you see something dramatic and wonderful. That is how people grow and develop into stronger, better people and stronger, better employees.

The 2013 Conference for Administrative Excellence was now in the history books and in the hearts, minds, and notebooks of so many attendees who would return to their offices with action plans brimming with new learning.

We laughed with Debbie Gross; we learned about time saving Zip Tips with Mike Song; We learned to disconnect our stories from simple events with Dan Leier; we experienced daily huddles with the Office Dynamics International staff; we learned about making our money behave with Christi Wright; we examined becoming a lighthouse beacon to our own worlds with Joan Burge; we heard the executive perspective with Melba Duncan, Lisa Olsen and Lucy Brazier; we laughed our way to better nutrition choices with David Meinz; we ignited our professional passion with Chrissy Scivicque; we gained soul success in positive relationship building with Tedi Anne Templeton; we took wellness breaks, had fun with an Office Dynamics trivia team building activity; heard the state of the profession keynote from Joan Burge, and watched videos of individuals discussing how attention to the 5 life pillars had grown and shaped their lives in dramatic ways.

And, we danced and celebrated being strategic administrative business partners, the glue that holds our offices together, at a beautiful Gala Dinner created just for us.

It was spectacular, and now it was time – to fly home in so many directions. To return to work, renewed, encouraged, with new skills, new abilities and a new sense of passion and purpose.

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The Gala is a hugely popular event at Joan’s conference. Usually admins only get to plan dinners and evening events for their leaders and clients. They rarely get to dress up and experience that kind of event!

At Office Dynamics International, the Gala is an amazingly fantastic party and celebration of the profession and the wonderful individuals who comprise that profession. It is joyous, high quality and always, always, ALWAYS a total blast to attend! I look forward to it as a very special event.

Attendees have the chance to pull out their dancing shoes and party clothes. Everyone sparkles and looks so great. Lots of updo’s, fabulous costume jewelry, dresses and evening pants, beautiful jewel tone colors and those perfect LBDs (little black dresses) abounded.

By this time in the conference schedule, people have intermingled and met lots of great admins from all over the country. It’s networking heaven!

Admins entered the cocktail area by walking a 25’ red carpet runway with lights and photos. It was great fun!

At last, the ballroom doors opened. Beautiful flapper dancers in red fringed short dresses, headbands and lots of feathers, with super high heels, red lipstick and bobbed hair greeted us from around the room. They had long elbow length gloves on. The male dancers were in top hats, black tie and had walking sticks. They were sooooo cute and elegant!

We sat at large circular tables covered in snowy white table linens and candlelight. There was a delicious buffet (and you know, I mean REALLY GREAT FOOD!). Very high-end Italian with so many appetizers, salads, a massive cheeseboard, fruit, capers, Carpaccio, antipasto, meats, fowl, seafood and even a chef sautéing shrimp scampi. They had the BEST pasta sauce – tasted like homemade. At the end of the long buffet table, the dancers escorted each attendee back to their seat. Everyone loved the special attention to detail!

There was a long dessert buffet and coffee. It was the kind of desserts that are so beautiful they look like they could go on the cover of a food magazine.

But the energy was enhanced by the moment when the Office Dynamics International staff (Gina, Jasmine, Brian and Michele) called Joan to the dance floor stage.

In honor of Joan and to celebrate her 20th annual conference, they had a star named after her in the Leo constellation, to mark the occasion and because of course, with Star Achievement, stars are Joan’s symbol for administrative excellence. Gina told the story of how at Joan’s birth, a miraculous prayer by their father saved Joan’s life, allowing her to be born safely and for her mother to survive the ordeal as well. It was touching.

Then the lights dimmed and the flapper dancers and tux dancers partnered with them to do a highly choreographed number, “Swing, Swing, Swing!” which really brought down the house with their high kicks and tricks of dancing skill and artistry. Great fun and so entertaining!

Next, the DJ kicked off the night’s dance party with percussion drums, hot music and a pulsating beat. The floor was packed for several hours as everyone enjoyed the event. There was a lot of networking, talking, sharing and laughter as we danced away the evening.

The Gala is a magical, spectacular event of quality and great entertainment. You feel pretty, special, elegant and appreciated. You walk with your head held high and you meet great new people. You think positive thoughts and experience the balance of life pillars and happiness resulting from the experience.

It’s without a doubt, one of my favorite aspects of the conference. I see people relaxed, confident, having learned and experience a high-end quality training opportunity, and so happy and thrilled with what they have learned and how the Office Dynamics International staff treats everyone.

You can tell quality when you see it. You can sense true warmth and caring. This event had all of that, and so much more.

David is always a favorite! Last year he shared wonderful information and was greatly received. The room was packed as so many people wanted to hear his presentation. He began by showing us photos of his collection of crazy diet aids and wacky “nutrition” products from yesteryear. For example, there was “weight loss soap” from the early 1920’s.

This year, he added many new nutrition songs with hilarious results.

David discussed that cocoa has antioxidants and flavonoids which are very healthy for our hearts. He said that chocolate with 70% cocoa is great. Less than that is just candy. He also warned us away from products with the dutching process as it reduces the great antioxidants.

He stated that 30 calories of chocolate a day is about ¼ oz will lower your blood pressure without weight gain. All right, David!

David provided six steps to longevity:

Stay active – 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

Social connections – stay connected to people.

Engagement “Iki-Gui” be passionate about something to stay energized and engaged in life.

Eat less sugar. Use Stevia (much more economical than Agave). Brown sugar is just tinted white sugar.

Eat smart when you eat out.

6. Optimism
David added that we can all throw out our bathroom scales. Measure your waist (not where you think your waist is) but across your hip bones. Men should be no more than 40”, women no more than 35” max.

He said a great quick meal is canned salmon (bones and all!). After draining, mash it up with 3 egg whites, bread crumbs and some dried parsley. Make salmon patties and cook them in about 5 minutes per side. (The salmon, like tuna fish, is technically already cooked in the can.) Pennies to make and great for you.

David sings and dances to ballads, standards, and changes the words to be about nutrition. They really stick with you and are so fun to hear! Overall, great information, challenging yet helpful. I’ve purchased Stevia and had salmon burgers (both were great!).

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Debbie bounded to the stage with great applause. She discussed true stories of often hilariously funny, sometimes stressful, gut-wrenching and simply amazing stories of true admin heroes who pulled out all the stops to keep their leaders plowing forward to get the business done. It was a very entertaining and informative presentation!

Equally impressive to her great slide graphics and riveting delivery, Debbie also gave great pointers on the the top ten things to implement:

Building a greater awareness of what we do as assistants (even the simple things) are just as important as the really big things.

Create a “Do Whatever It Takes” mentality. Go the distance, do what it takes and earn the respect of peers and managers.

Make Yourself Indispensable – The role requires paying special attention to your leader’s weaknesses and then supporting them in that area so they can get the job done.

Start a “Thing’s I’ll Never Do Again” journal and a “Super Human Feats I Have Accomplished” journal. Entries in each should be even!

Create an atmosphere that invites less stress, more fun and open communication channels.

Apply laughter and humor as applicable. Debbie shared a story about playing a joke on a manager by telling him the new copier was “voice activated”. And, they had an ugly tie contest one Friday with hilarious results.

Step back from the daily grind to look at things with a different perspective. Appreciate people and the role we play to make the organization successful.

Recognize that you as an admin are human. It’s okay to “be” human.

Debbie received a huge “standing O” following her presentation. She said, “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not doing anything.”

Although we want to always do our best, and help our managers succeed, it’s often hard to anticipate a 4:00 am phone call from our manager as one admin story was relayed by Debbie. That admin actually had the manager’s itinerary on her bedside table at home, “just in case”. And, that’s exactly what happened!

I think the takeaway was that if Debbie can laugh at herself and do her best for her manager, and keep stress balanced, then so can everyone. She is a great mentor and role model for executive assistants and administrative professionals to become more than they were before.